When electronic components operate, they produce heat. In some, low power, applications, this heat can be adequately removed using free convection cooling. However, in many applications, free convection cooling (the un-aided movement of air) does not provide sufficient cooling to prevent overheating (and possibly premature failure) of electronic components. In applications where free convection cooling does not offer sufficient cooling capacity, electric fans are often used as a low cost way of moving ambient air across the electronic components at a higher rate than that possible using free convection cooling. Accordingly, the use of cooling fans is often employed as a low cost solution for keeping electronic components operating within the acceptable temperature ranges specified by the electronic component manufacturers.
Cooling fans are often integrated with an enclosure which houses, amongst other components, the electronic components to be cooled by the fan. The cooling fan is often mounted to the enclosure using fasteners such as screws, dowel pins, rivets, or the like. Although this fastening technique is widely used, it significantly increases the cost of the product due to the labor and tools that are needed to install the fasteners and the handling costs associated with handling the fasteners.
Embodiments set forth herein disclose a system for eliminating fasteners traditionally used for securing cooling fans to an enclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein can be utilized in various applications including the automotive, computer, electronic instrumentation, or in any industry where the forced movement of air is used as a temperature controlling medium.